


Fright Night ~ The Guardian

by Snow_Princess_2016



Category: Fright Night (1985)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-17 10:11:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14830331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow_Princess_2016/pseuds/Snow_Princess_2016
Summary: When Charley's mother dies and Jerry surprisingly becomes Charley's guardian....they both go through a rocky and at times, deadly experience together during Charley's transition from a minor to an adult.





	1. Chapter I

**Chapter I**

* * *

It was a Friday evening when seventeen year old Charley Brewster came speeding his car up to the front of his house, 80's music blaring from it. As Charley turned his engine off and whistled as he got out of the car, books in hand, he strolled up the steps of his mother's house, unlocked the door and went inside. 

"Mom! I'm home!" Charley called as he dropped his keys on a table by the door. The house was quiet - eerily quiet. 

"Mom?" Charley called out as he walked into the living room. Immediately, he stopped in his tracks at the sight in front of him. 

"Mom?" Charley called out as he saw his mother lying across the sofa, eyes closed, resembling someone who was lifeless. As Charley dropped the books in his hand, rushed over to his mother and shook her, tears filled his eyes, tears of fear.

"Mom? Mom!" Charley yelled out as he shook his mother with force. "Mom! Mom no!" 

Immediately, Charley jumped up and ran to the phone, picked it up and dialed. The three ring tones he heard on the other end of the line felt like ringing tones that went on for hours before he heard someone's voice on the other end of the line. 

"Hello 9-1-1 what's your emergency?" A female voice said on the other end of the line. 

"My - my mom, she's - she's unconscious," Charley said with a tearful voice and with tears streaming from his eyes. "She's - she's - oh God I think she's dead!" 

"Ok sir, what's your name and address?" The operator replied as Charley dropped down to his knees and broke into sobs. "Sir?" 

Charley couldn't even respond, all he could do was remain there, on his knees, in sobs, knowing, _feeling_ that his life would never be the same again. 

* * *

 

**~ Later ~**

  
As Charley sat on the steps of his mother's home, his hands clasped together in front of his mouth, the lights of the police and paramedics illuminated Oak Street. Charley's mind was racing with thoughts, thoughts and memories of his mother, the last conversation he had with his mother that morning, a conversation over his last Trigonometry test. As Charley replayed he and his mother's last conversation in his mind, he closed his eyes shut with a hurt frown, as tears streamed down from his closed eyes. He couldn't believe it, he couldn't believe that just that morning, she was alive, alive and fine and now, now she was gone. Not only that but now Charley had no one, no family, except distant ones whom he didn't know well at all. His mother was an only child and his grandparents had both died when Charley was just six years old. So who would take care of him now? Before Charley could think of anything else, he heard the clicking of wheels behind him, and as he looked behind him, he saw two men wheeling his mother's body, which was in a zipped up body bag, on a stretcher down the steps of the house. As the two men were wheeling the body towards the coroner van, Charley jumped up. 

"Wait!" Charley said as he ran over to his mother's body. "Let me say goodbye." 

As one of the men wheeling the body nodded to Charley, Charley unzipped the body bag and stared at his mother's lifeless body with tearful eyes, within seconds he broke down into light sobs before kissing her on the forehead. 

"I love you mom." Charley said tearfully. 

As one of the men wheeling the body zipped the body bag back up and as both men continued wheeling the body away, Charley stared on, once again with streaming tears. 

* * *

Next door, Billy was standing on the front porch, watching the entire situation. A few seconds later, Jerry walked out onto the front porch and over to Billy. 

"What's going on out here?" Jerry asked. 

"The kid's mother croaked." Billy said with a brief, faint smirk and a shake of his head. 

Jerry shot a look over at Billy with instant shock.

"Charley's mother?" Jerry asked. "When was this?" 

Billy shrugged. 

"Who knows," Billy replied, "but the paramedics and police have been out here for a while now. 

Jerry sighed as he stood there watching the situation next door, as much as he despised Charley, he had to admit he felt a little sympathy for the kid, losing his mother. For Jerry knew what it was like to lose a parent. He not only lost his mother but his father as well, back when he was a mortal, four hundred years ago, and it was devastating to him. So he knew the grief of losing a parent all too well. 

* * *

 

As Charley was about to turn and walk back in the house, an officer walked up after him and grabbed his arm. 

"Ok you're going to come with me," the officer said.   
  
Charley yanked away from the officer with sharpness. 

"What?" Charley snapped. "No why?" 

"You're under eighteen," the officer replied, "you can't stay here by yourself, you're a minor, so we're taking you to a nice temporary place -" 

"You mean a foster home!" Charley snapped. "I'm not going to some foster home, are you nuts?! I can take care of myself!" 

"No you can not!" The officer retorted. "You're a minor -" 

"I'm SEVENTEEN!" Charley snapped. 

"You're still a minor!" The cop snapped back, "and since you are, I have no other choice but to take you to Sherman's Home, until we can reach a relative who can take you in their care. Now it's a nice foster home -" 

"No!" Charley snapped. "I'm not going!" 

"Officer wait, what are you doing? I'm his uncle and I live next door. Charley called me and told me what happened and I rushed straight home from work. I'll take guardianship over him from here." Jerry said as he walked up behind Charley. 

Immediately Charley turned around and stared at Jerry as if he were nuts. The officer did as well as he raised an eyebrow at Jerry in slight disbelief. 

"You're this kid's uncle?" The officer asked. 

"Yeah so he can come stay at my home." Jerry replied while staring dead on into the officer's eyes. 

Charley stared at Jerry in disbelief, disbelief at how quickly he came up with such an intricate lie. 

"Well," the officer said with a sigh and a slight shake of his head. "alright and what's your full name and number sir?" 

"Um Jerry Dandrige," Jerry replied, "the number's 555-1247." 

The officer nodded as he wrote on a small notepad. 

"Good," the officer replied. "I'll give your information to CPS for them to take further steps in guardianship. Charley, I'm sorry for your loss." 

As the officer turned and walked away, Charley's eyes remain locked on Jerry, locked in a complete state of disbelief.

"What the hell did you just do?" Charley snapped. 

"I saved you from being dragged away to some crappy foster home," Jerry replied. "You're welcome, come on, you can stay at my place for the night." 

"What, are you crazy? Hell no." Charley snapped. 

"What do you mean no?" Jerry replied. "You have to, you heard him -" 

"You're a VAMPIRE Jerry! An evil son of a bitch at that, there's no way I'm staying with you!" Charley snapped. 

"Oh alright and what if an officer comes back here later tonight? Then what Charley?" Jerry snapped. "Look I'm just trying to - be nice and - help you -" 

"Well take your help and SHOVE it." Charley snapped. "I didn't need your help a few minutes and I don't WANT it now. Just leave me the hell alone." 

Before Jerry could say anything else, Charley turned and stormed off towards his house, going inside and slamming the door behind him, as Jerry stared on with a look of slight hurt. As billy walked up behind Jerry and patted Jerry on the back, Jerry looked down and to his left with a scoff and a shake of his head. 

"You alright Jerr?" Billy asked. 

Jerry continued staring at Charley's house, a conflicted expression forming slightly on his face. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jerry lied before turning and walking away, back towards his own house. 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter II

**Chapter II**

* * *

 

 

As Charley sat across from Amy and Ed in the cafeteria of Cushing High School, Charley was barely listening to what Amy and Ed were saying, his mind was roaming through numerous thoughts, thoughts and feelings. 

"Charley?" Amy said. "Did you hear what I said?" 

Charley looked up at Amy and shook his head, trying to clear the present thoughts from his mind. 

"No what?" Charley asked. 

Amy glanced over at Ed and both Ed and Amy gave resembling looks, looks of worry. 

"I said, what's going to happen now?" Amy asked. "Are you really going to have Jerry as your guardian?" 

"NO." Charley snapped. "I wouldn't even have him as my damn - house sitter." 

"Well what about Peter?" Ed asked. 

"He lives in California now." Charley said. "So he can't. Amy, Ed, you both sure your parents wouldn't -"

"Nope, not my dad." Ed said with a laugh. "He's so mean, I'm surprised he still lets me live there." 

"Amy?" Charley asked with pleading eyes. 

"Oh Charley," Amy said with a sympathetic stare. "You know I love you but with us dating, my parents would never let you stay in the same house with me. I mean you know how my father is already." 

Charley sighed with anger. 

"Damn it," Charley whispered. "What am I going to do? CPS called this morning and left a message on the machine saying that they would be over Jerry's house tonight to do a home visit since he told that officer he was my guardian -"

"So then why don't you just let him be your guardian Brewster?" Ed asked.

"What?!" Charley snapped. "Are you nuts Evil? I mean have you forgotten that he's a vampire? A disgusting, blood sucking monster -" 

"Yeah but he also the only choice you have right now Charley." Amy replied. "Besides it's only for the rest of this year. You turn eighteen two days before graduation and when you do, you'll be an adult and can go on your own then." 

"NO," Charley retorted. "Absolutely not -"

"Then what are you going to do Charley?" Amy asked. "Huh? How are you going to deal with this? How are you going to handle CPS coming tonight?" 

Charley sat back and sighed with a troubled frown. He had no idea how he would handle it. He didn't know what he was going to do, he was conflicted, and the bad part of it all was the fact that he only had a short amount of hours _to_ figure out what he was going to do - before the arrival of CPS.

 

* * *

 

**~ End Of Chapter II ~**

 

**Up Next: Chapter III**

 

 


	3. Chapter III

  **Chapter III**

* * *

 

 

As Charley pulled up in front of what was now his home, and turned off his car engine, he sighed with a bit of depression, depression and worry. What was he going to do? He only had approximately forty-five minutes to think of something before a representative of CPS came and evaluated the home of his guardian - the problem was that Charley didn't have a guardian, and he cringed at the thought of having Jerry be his guardian, but at this point, did he even have a choice? As he briefly closed his eyes with a sigh, he jumped out of his car, slammed his driver's side door shut and forced himself over to Jerry's house. Shit, he hated that this was his only choice, but he heard enough horror stories about foster homes to know that he definitely didn't want to spend his last year as a minor there. As Charley knocked on Jerry's house door, his heart was pounding like a bullet, not out of nervousness but half out of hatred and half out of adrenaline. When Jerry opened the door, Charley made sure to give Jerry a look that let him know how much he despised him. 

"Um - CPS is coming in forty-five minutes." Charley said. "I - need you to play my guardian one more time." 

Jerry stared at Charley with what Charley was sure was a smirk. 

"I thought you said you didn't need my help." Jerry replied. 

Charley sighed as he rolled his eyes at Jerry. 

"I thought I didn't," Charley replied, "but I do." 

Jerry stepped aside with a single nod and ushered Charley in. 

"Oh, wait, you better get some of your stuff from your room next door and bring it over." Jerry said. "It can go in the main guest room upstairs and - " 

"I'm NOT staying here." Charley snapped. "This is only for CPS, then once they leave, I'm going back home and thankfully I'll never have to talk to you again." 

Jerry smirked at Charley with amusement. 

"Oh, really?" Jerry replied. "Charley, let me inform you of the process that's about to happen. A CPS representative is going to come here and do a home visit, and then after that, there's a court date of which I - your guardian will have to attend, and upon me attending, the judge will then grant me legal guardianship. Now if I don't go before the judge on the court date, they'll find out why, the why being that I'm not your guardian and you get shipped to a foster home. Now you don't really want that, do you Charley?" 

Charley frowned in anger at him. 

"Why the hell do you even care?!" Charley snapped. "You were ready to kill me just six months ago, now all of a sudden, you care? Well don't! You're unable to care in the first place because all you are is - a damn dead vampire!" 

As Jerry stared at him, with a slight look of offense and a touch of hurt, Billy walked into the hallway where they were. 

"You're right, I shouldn't care," Jerry said as he walked to his front door and opened it. "Get out." 

Charley stared at Jerry with a look of slight disbelief. 

"Yeah whatever," Charley snapped. "Look -" 

"I said GET OUT." Jerry replied with anger. 

With a look of anger, Charley scoffed, shook his head and stormed out, resulting in Jerry slamming the door shut on him. As Jerry stood with his back to Billy, he didn't want to turn around, because he knew he would meet Billy's eyes, Billy's critical eyes. 

"Jerry," Billy began, "why -"

"DON'T." Jerry interrupted as he turned and walked past Billy. 

"Jerry, what is going on with you?" Billy asked as he grabbed hold of Jerry's arm. 

Jerry sighed and yanked his arm away. 

"Why are you trying to help this kid?" Billy asked. "He's a little pathetic maggot, who - if you remember it or not, almost got us in trouble with the police -"

"I KNOW Billy alright?" Jerry snapped. 

"Then what's going ON here?" Billy asked. 

Jerry sighed as he glanced down with a brief frown. 

"Back when I was - mortal," Jerry began, "I was eleven, Regine was six, our parents were murdered, the night before Christmas. Regine and I were both devastated, especially Regine. However what hurt the most was when we were separated and had to work as indentured servants, me for six years and Regine for eleven years, and for all those years, we were separated, it was horrible, horrible for the both of us. So, I don't know, perhaps Charley's situation hit home for me." 

Before Billy could respond, Jerry shrugged and walked away towards the living room, but as he got to the living room entrance, three knocks came at his door. When Billy went to open the door, he saw Charley standing on the doorstep. 

"Um, i'm - sorry." Charley said without looking Billy in the eyes. 

As Jerry turned and looked back at Charley, Charley walked inside and over to him. 

"Look um - I'm - sorry alright?" Charley said. "I - don't want to go into - some damn foster home. I've heard the stories and I refuse to go there. So - I guess what I'm saying is - you can - be my guardian - just until I turn eighteen, which is in June." 

Jerry nodded with an eyebrow raised. 

"But I want to keep my mother's house." Charley said. "She put in her will for me to have it, so I'm keeping it. I'm not selling it or anything -"

"I wouldn't want you to sell it Charley." Jerry replied. "So fine then, I think this arrangement will go along just fine with - " 

"Ok so I'm going to bring a few things over that will tide me over for the next two weeks or so. I'll be back." Charley said, interrupting Jerry and turning and walking out before Jerry could say another word. 

As Charley walked out of the house, Jerry stood there thinking, thinking about how exactly he would pull off being the guardian to a mortal human, when he himself was immortal. Despite what Jerry told Billy, Jerry still didn't quite understand just why he was helping Charley, he knew there had to be something that was driving him to want to help Charley, but he just didn't know what that something was.

* * *

 

**~ End Of Chapter III ~**

**Up Next: Chapter IV**


	4. Chapter IV

**Chapter IV**

* * *

 

Much later when Charley arrived back over to Jerry's house, with his belongings, it was Billy who showed him the guest room where he would be staying, and surprisingly the room was nice and spacious, with a bed bigger than his in his room in his mother's home. A medium sized television sat a few feet away from the bed. Despite the room being big and nice, it had a dry, musty smell to it. After Charley finished unsettling in his room, he dashed downstairs where he walked up on a short, stumpy lady with glasses and her hair in a bun, wearing a brown skirt suit and looking to be in her late fifties. Her name was Mrs. Williams and she was talking to Jerry by the front door. She had arrived a good thirty-five minutes before Charley had arrived back at Jerry's house.

"So, that's the gist of it for now." Mrs. Williams said while writing on a clipboard in her hand. "And, ah, here's Charley. Hi son, how are you holding up?" 

Charley gave a quick glance at Jerry, who was staring at him with intensity, before nodding and looking away from Jerry. 

"I'm - coping, the best I can." Charley replied in a low voice. 

Mrs. Williams patted Charley on the shoulder with a smile. 

"Good son," Mrs. Williams replied. "You're lucky to have Jerry here as your guardian. He's been speaking so highly of you during the entire time I've been here, so I think you'll be in good hands with him." 

Charley shot a look over at Jerry in disbelief. 

"Really?" Charley asked. "He said - all good things? That's surprising, considering that it's coming from Jerry." 

In an instant Jerry flashed Charley an look of anger. There was Charley's fiery attitude again, and it caught the attention of Mrs. Williams, as she shot a confused stare over at Jerry, to which Jerry quickly contrived a smirk. 

"Ah yes," Jerry said, his eyes slowly shifting over to Mrs. Williams, "Charley knows I don't like to brag about him. I'm very modest is what he means." 

"Ah I see." Mrs. Williams said with a laugh and a nod, to which Jerry contrived a brief laugh as well. "Well, Mr. Dandridge, I will be in touch regarding a court date and you have a wonderful night. You too Charley."

"Thank you Mrs. Williams," Jerry said as he opened the front door for her. "I look forward to hearing back from you." 

As soon as Jerry closed the door after Mrs. Williams walked out, Charley turned to walk away. 

"Hey wait," Jerry said, "are you going up to rest? Because if so, before you do, let me fix you a quick meal -"

"I'm not hungry." Charley said coldly as he continued walking towards the stairway. 

Quickly Jerry walked after him and stepped in front of him, blocking him from getting up the stairs. 

"Hey wait," Jerry snapped. "Look you think you could try dropping that attitude of yours?" 

"Or what Jerry?" Charley snapped. "You'll turn me into the four hundred year old blood sucking bat that you are?" 

Jerry rolled his eyes and sighed as Charley smirked briefly. 

"You're repulsive." Charley said before pushing Jerry to the side and walking up the stairs. Immediately Jerry grabbed Charley's arm and pulled him with force back towards him, a move that made Charley jump for a second in fear. 

"I offered to be your guardian, but don't PUSH it Charley." Jerry snapped while staring directly in Charley's eyes. "Are we clear?" 

Charley yanked his arm away with anger while staring at Jerry with attitude. 

"Crystal." Charley snapped before rolling his eyes and storming up the rest of the stairs.

* * *

As Jerry walked into the kitchen, he saw Billy by the kitchen island fixing two, bologna sandwiches. When Billy saw Jerry, he smiled briefly. 

"Hey," Billy said, "I thought the kid might want dinner so -"

"Kid?" Jerry asked with a roll of his eyes. "More like a smart mouthed - teenage runt"

"He's still giving you a hard time huh?" Billy asked. 

Jerry sighed as he sat down at a nearby table with a shake of his head. 

"I don't know Billy. I mean I - just don't know if I can deal with his attitude for a year without killing him I swear." Jerry replied. 

"Oh come on Jerry," Billy said, "all teens are like that. Besides, maybe it's because his mother JUST died yesterday. I mean he's in the middle of the grieving process right now, you of all people should know that. Give him some time to come around." 

"Yeah." Jerry said before sighing. 

Billy walked over and handed Jerry the plate of sandwiches. 

"Here, go up and give this to him." Billy said. "He'll thank you for it - maybe not tonight but..."

Billy stopped as Jerry laughed, which resulted in Billy laughing as well. 

* * *

 

**~ Theme Song: "Don't Do Anything I wouldn't Do" ~ Fright Night Soundtrack (2011 Remake) ~ **

 

As Jerry walked up onto the second floor with the plate of sandwiches, Jerry stopped a few feet away from Charley's closed door, as he heard light, muffled noise from inside the room. As Jerry slowly walked over to the door and creaked it open, he saw Charley sitting at a desk with his back turned to the door, sobbing. There was no doubt in Jerry's mind what Charley was sobbing over, of course, and in that moment, Jerry felt a sting of sympathy for the young teen. As quiet as he could, Jerry walked in and placed the plate of sandwiches on a small table by the door and turned to walk out - but not before looking back at Charley with one last stare of sympathy. Jerry wanted to go over and console Charley the way he wished someone had consoled him and Regine when they were children, grieving over their parents' death, but Jerry decided not to, now wasn't the time. Charley needed his time alone at that moment, he needed his alone time to grieve, and that's just what Jerry gave him, as he stepped further out of the room, closing the bedroom door behind him. 

* * *

**~ The Next Morning ~ **

 

**~ Theme Song: "Armies Of The Night ~ Fright Night Soundtrack/"Little Bitty Pretty One" ~ Thurston Harris ~**

 

It was seven-thirty in the morning when Charley, fully dressed for school, walked into Jerry's kitchen and turned on the radio, with the song " _Armies Of The Night_ " by Sparks blasting from the radio. With a yawn, Charlie walked over to the fridge, opened it and grabbed a carton of orange juice out. He walked over to the counter, open the cabinet, grabbed a glass out and poured orange juice into it. Just as Charley was about to take a sip of the orange juice, the song on the radio changed to " _Little Bitty Pretty One_ ", a 50's song by Thurston Harris - one of Charley's mother's favorite songs in fact.

Instantly upon hearing the song, it sent Charley into a mental flashback, a flashback of when he was seven years old and his mother would dance with him around the kitchen to that very song. As Charley closed his eyes and envisioned the memory more, he could see the flashback even more perfectly now. He could even hear the laughter he shared with his mother as she held his hands in hers and swung him around the kitchen while dancing. He could remember perfectly how the outside sunshine from the kitchen window illuminated her face with radiance as they danced around the kitchen. The memory was so strong and vivid for him, that he didn't even hear his name being called from behind him. 

"Hello? CHARLEY?!" Billy called from behind Charley. 

As Charley opened his eyes that were filled with tears, tears that were now streaming as Charley broke out of his flashback remembrance within an instant and turned to look at Billy. 

"Oh, yeah, what? What it is?" Charley asked with sharpness as he wiped his streaming tears away quickly.  

"Charley it's seven-thirty in the morning and you're blasting music in here." Billy said with upset. "Why?" 

Charley stared at him as if he were nuts. 

"It's a school day Billy." Charley said with attitude. 

"So this is what you do usually when you're getting ready for school?" Billy asked. "Blare music loudly throughout your house, waking your mother up at the crack of dawn?" 

Charley looked at him with instant anger. 

"Don't you ever speak one word about my mother again." Charley snapped with a roll of his eyes before pushing past Billy and walking out of the kitchen. 

Billy scoffed with a shake of his head before turning and walking out after Charley, with Charley bumping into Jerry in the hallway. 

"Charley oh hey, was that you blaring that loud music?" Jerry asked, looking half asleep.

Charley sighed with a roll of his eyes. 

"I was, now I'm not. I'm off to school, bye." Charley snapped before walking around Jerry. 

"School?" Jerry asked. "Well actually I thought you'd stay home so we can plan your mother's funeral -" 

Jerry stopped as Charley stopped dead in his tracks with his back to Jerry and Billy. As Charley looked down and to his right, he shut his eyes tight with a frown. The word " _funeral_ " meant that his mother was gone, _truly gone_. 

"I - can't - now." Charley forced himself to spew out after a few seconds of silence. "I'll do it this evening." 

"Well I thought that Billy and I would help you," Jerry said. "I mean -"

"NO." Charley shouted strongly, almost with a hint of emotion. "She was my mother, you two didn't know her. I'll get started on planning it myself when I get home." 

Jerry sighed, slightly irritated.

"What? Charley no," Billy said, "look come on -"

Billy stopped as Charley angrily opened the door to the house and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. 

"Still want to be his guardian?" Billy joked with a smile to Jerry before chuckling and turning to walk away. 

Jerry's patience was running thin with Charley, it was running thin with Charley _fast_. Grieving or not, there was one thing Jerry was not going to tolerate, and that was disrespect, especially _continued_ disrespect from some seventeen year old kid who wasn't even his own son. Jerry was sure that one more rude, attitude-filled conversation with Charley was going to make him snap and become the rabid, vicious monster that Charley had never seen him become, and that for Charley's sake, Jerry hoped would _never_ appear, but it was coming close, _dangerously_ close to a very short tipping point for Jerry.

* * *

**~ End Of Chapter IV ~**

**Up Next: Chapter V**

 

 


	5. Chapter V

**Chapter V**

 

* * *

 

Charley was sitting in the living room of Jerry's house, calling every distant relative and any friends that he knew of his mother having, getting together any and all plans for his mother's funeral, and basically it was taking the life out of him in just that short two hours that he had been busy away working, but he had to do this, him and him alone. He felt the more he kept his mind busy on planning her funeral, the less time he had to think on the fact and come to the realization that she was actually dead. 

"Yes well it was a shock to me too Aunt Gretchen." Charley said with a sigh of annoyance. She had already talked his head off for a complete thirty minutes and frankly he was ready to be done talking with her. "Well good, I'll see you on Saturday at the funeral, bye." 

Before his aunt could speak another word, he hung up with a brief close of his eyes and a sigh - just as Jerry walked in, a cup of hot chocolate in hand. 

"Hey, I thought you could use this." Jerry said as he walked over and handed him the cup. 

Charley stared at the cup with attitude. 

"No thanks." Charley replied with a shake of his head. 

Jerry stared at Charley with disdain before shaking his head, putting the cup on the coffee table and sitting down beside Charley on the sofa. 

"So, do you need any help?" Jerry asked. 

"Nope I'm just about done, once I call the funeral director back and confirm the funeral for this Saturday at noon." Charley said while shuffling through papers on his clipboard and without even looking at Jerry once. 

"You sure?" Jerry asked. "Because you look like you're exhausted -" 

"I SAID I don't need any help!" Charley yelled as he stopped shuffling through papers at that moment. "Look why don't you just leave me alone. Get out and leave me alone!" 

Jerry stared at Charley with instant anger and within an instant, Jerry shot up off the sofa and was about to grab Charley around the throat and choke the shit out of him, but he restrained himself. In that moment, he did everything he could to restrain himself. 

"You know i am SICK and TIRED of your attitude Charley." Jerry snapped. "Yes your mother died, it's heartbreaking, tragic even but it also left you with nowhere to go except some decrepit foster home, of which YOU didn't want to go to in the first place. So the way I see it, I'm helping you out and so you WILL start showing me a little respect around here or -" 

"Or what Jerry?" Charley snapped as he tossed his clipboard down and shot up off the sofa, staring at Jerry daringly. "You'll become the bloodsucking monster I always knew you were? Show YOU respect? For what? You're not my father! You're not even my friend! You're not even human! You're just a old, aging, wannabe human BAT who spends his time preying on women to feed off of all while living in this God awful, hideous house!" 

At that moment, Jerry felt the rage rush all through him, rage that he wouldn't be able to contain at that moment. Within an instant, Jerry grabbed Charley by the throat and swung him around and threw him across the floor, causing him to scrape his head alongside a small table behind him, which then resulting in his head bleeding. Jerry was just about to walk over and finish Charley off but Billy walked in and grabbed Charley's arm. 

"Jerry what's all the yelling about?" Billy asked. "What -" 

Billy stopped as he looked over and saw Charley sitting up on the floor, holding his lightly bloody head. 

"Jerry!" Billy retorted as he walked over and helped Charley up to his feet. 

In that moment, Jerry stared at Charley and Billy in a bit of shock at what he had just done. Of course, Jerry knew exactly what he had just done, but it still shocked him. As Jerry stared on at Charley with guilt, Charley yanked away from Billy with anger. 

"Are you alright?" Billy asked. 

"I'm fine get off me!" Charley yelled as he wiped the streaming blood off his forehead away. "I'm getting the hell out of here." 

As Charley walked past Jerry, Jerry grabbed his arm. 

"Charley wait," Jerry said. "I'm -" 

"Get OFF me!" Charley yelled as he yanked away from Jerry. "Don't you ever touch me again damn it! The HELL with you! i'll find somewhere else to live!" 

"Charley no, wait alright - I'm sorry." Jerry said as Charley stuffed his clipboard full of papers into his backpack and swung his backpack onto his back. 

"Charley wait." Jerry repeated as he grabbed Charley's arm once more. 

"I said NO!" Charley yelled with angry emotion, as he pushed Jerry away from him hard. "I'm DONE with staying here with you!" 

Before Jerry could say another word, Charley turned and stormed out the living room, swung open the front door of the house and stormed out, leaving the front door wide open. 

As Jerry stood there, staring with guilt and upset, Billy walked over to him with a look of confusion. 

"Jerry what happened with you two in here?" Billy asked. 

"We got into an argument," Jerry said as he stared down at the floor in a frown of upset. "He said some things and I flew off the handle. I shouldn't have but I did." 

"Jerry," Billy began, "I -" 

"DON'T." Jerry snapped before storming out of the room himself. 

* * *

 

**~ Later ~**

 

As Jerry paced back and forth in his bedroom, he could feel all of these emotions running through him, anger, upset, hurt and even worry, the last emotion was the one he couldn't understand why he was feeling though. Why was he even worried that Charley was out there somewhere, on the streets at close to midnight, filled with anger running through his veins, and with Jerry having no real idea where Charley was? Why did Jerry care? Jerry cared because for some reason, Charley reminded him of what he used to be - before he became immortal, and because Charley reminded Jerry of himself, Jerry felt sympathy for the teen. He knew why Charley was lashing out at him and it wasn't because  Charley hated Jerry for being a vampire. It was anger, anger over the fact that his mother died. Jerry knew that, which is why Jerry felt so guilty for retaliating back at Charley the way he did. 

As Jerry leaned his hands up against the mantle of the fireplace in the room and dropped his head and closed his eyes with a frown, Jerry felt guilt run all through him, absolute guilt. 

* * *

 

It was around twelve-thirty in the morning as Charley climbed up to Amy's half cracked open window. As Charley peered into her window, he saw Amy's bedroom dark and Amy in bed, sound asleep. While holding onto the ladder that was leaned up against the side of the house, a ladder that Charley had found in the garage of Amy's parent's house by the way, Charley knocked three times on Amy's window. 

"Amy!" Charley called out in a low whisper. "Amy wake up!" 

Within a few seconds of Charley knocking more on the window, Amy awakened and sat up in bed while rubbing her eyes.  

"Charley!" Amy yelled out as she jumped up, rushed over, opened the bedroom window and helped him inside. "Charley what are you doing here? It's twelve-thirty at night!" 

"I know but I need to stay here, just for the night." Charley said in a low voice, a small bandage covering the bruise he developed on the side of his head, due to him being thrown across the room by Charley.

"What?!" Amy said. "Charley you can't, my parents are right in the next room, besides I thought you were staying with Jerry and - what happened to the side of your head?" 

"Jerry attacked me." Charley said as he walked around Amy and sat down on the side of Amy's bed. 

"What?" Amy asked as she sat down beside him. "Why? What happened?" 

Charley sighed with a brief close of his eyes and a shake of his head. 

* * *

**~ Later ~**

 

"And so then I just grabbed my bag and got the hell out of there." Charley said. "I can't stay there Amy, I mean he's just repulsive and -" 

"And he's also the one who kept you from going to a foster home Charley." Amy interrupted. 

"What?" Charley snapped. "So what? You're taking his side?" 

"No - Charley," Amy said with a sigh, "from what it sounds like to me, you're the one at fault here." 

"What?" Charley snapped as he stood up in anger. "Amy how could you say that?" 

"Charley no listen ok?" Amy said as she took his hands into hers and pulled him back down to sit. "Despite Jerry being a vampire, he's the only one who took you in and it seems to me like he's trying to - extend an olive branch to you and become friends with you? So why don't you just put aside your dislike and give him a chance? I mean he must care if he decided to take you in to his house to stay. So will you just give him a chance Charley? Please?" 

Charley hated hearing sound advice from Amy, especially considering the sound advice was regarding the acceptance of someone like Jerry. After Amy kissed him on the lips, Charley sighed with a roll of his eyes. 

* * *

 

**~ Later ~**

 

**~ Theme Song: "Your Time Is Up #2" ~ Fright Night (1985) Soundtrack ~**

 

It was close to one in the morning when Charley walked into Jerry's house and as Charley walked past the living room entrance, Jerry, who was sitting on the sofa, got up and walked out into the hallway. 

"Charley." Jerry called out. 

Charley sighed as he stopped and turned around toward Jerry. 

"Jerry." Charley said in a low, guilty voice. 

"Charley," Jerry began, "Look I'm -" 

"No wait," Charley interrupted. "Let me start first. Jerry I'm sorry ok? I know I've been a pain in the ass while here and I'm sorry. I just - all this is hard on me and it's all new, this - being here but - I'd like to be friends with you, if you want." 

Jerry briefly and lightly smiled and nodded. 

"I'd like that Charley." Jerry replied, " and I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have lashed out and attacked you and I'm sorry. So - friends?" 

As Jerry extended his hand for Charley to shake, Charley walked over and shook it.

"Friends." Charley replied with a faint smile.

"Well I'm going up to bed. Goodnight Jerry." Charley said. 

"Goodnight Charley." Jerry said before Charley turned and dashed up the stairs. 

* * *

 

 

**~ Later ~ **

 

It was close to four in the morning as Charley rolled over on his side, asleep in bed, continuing his sleep, when he heard a loud, horrifying scream vibrate through the entire house, a scream that came from the voice of a female. It was a scream that jolted Charley awake instantly and caused him to shoot up in bed with alertness. As Charley heard silence following the scream, he jumped out of bed, rushed towards the door, swung it open and rushed out into the hallway. As he shot his head left and then right, Billy opened the door to a room across the hall and look startled seeing Charley there. 

"Charley, oh hey, what are you doing up?" Billy asked in a slightly nervous way. 

"I heard screaming," Charley said, "what's going on -" 

"Nothing," Billy interrupted with a slight shake of his head and a shrug. "it was - nothing." 

Charley stared at Billy with suspicion. 

"Jerry killed another girl didn't he?" Charley asked. 

Billy rolled his eyes with a scoff. 

"Kid look," Billy began, "you're -"

"Ugh he did," Charley interrupted with a look of disgust. "Jesus I think I'm going to be sick." 

Before Billy could say another word, Charley turned, walked back in his room and slammed his door shut. 

* * *

 

**~ Saturday ~ **

 

 **~** **Theme Song: "The Funeral" ~ Band** **Of** **Horses ~**

Eleven a.m. Saturday morning, Charley was up early and dressed in an all black suit for his mother's funeral. As he stood in front of a floor length mirror in the hallway, staring at himself, it reminded him of when he was five years old and was standing in front of his bedroom mirror, staring at himself in his new clothes for the first day of school. He could remember in his mind, his mother coming up and hugging him from behind. He could remember her telling him how proud she was of him and how she hoped he was excited for his first day of school. He remembered the love and warmth she showed him on that first morning of school.

As tears clouded and then streamed from his eyes, he wiped them away and forced himself not to break down, not then, not even on that day. He couldn't - even though he wanted to. As more tears clouded his eyes, Jerry walked into the hallway. 

"You look nice, your mother would be proud." Jerry said. 

Charley glanced over at Jerry and contrived a brief, faint smirk. 

"I hope so." Charley replied. "I'm sorry you can't come but -" 

"It's fine," Jerry replied. "at least Billy's going with you." 

"Is he ready to go by the way?" Charley asked. 

"Yeah, he's out by the car." Jerry said. 

Charley nodded as he walked past Jerry. 

"See you in a little while." Charley replied as he headed towards the front door of the house. 

 

* * *

 

 

**~ Later ~  **

 

At Holden's cemetery, Charley's mother's funeral was packed with long distance relatives and a few friends, including Ed, Amy and Peter. An older, male minister holding an open bible stood next to a big, colorized photo of Judy Brewster and a polished, expensive looking, closed red coffin.

Throughout the entire funeral, all that was replaying in Charley's mind, were the many visuals of his mother, from his mother's smile, to her laugh, to the sound of her voice, to the words of advice and concern that Charley's mother would often give to him, and the more Charley thought of it, the more it made Charley nauseous, nauseous with grief and emotional pain. The words the minister was speaking seemed to only sound like gibberish in Charley's ears. 

And as Charley saw the minister close his bible, tears streamed from his eyes. Shit, Charley knew what that meant. It meant that it was over. This was the _end_. After a few seconds, as the family and friends started to turn and leave, Charley remained there, staring at his mother's coffin. He couldn't leave, like a child not wanting to leave his mother's side, Charley couldn't leave, he didn't even make a single gesture towards Ed, Amy or Peter as they hugged him close and said a few words to him before leaving the funeral themselves. As Billy tapped Charley on the shoulder, Charley wiped streaming tears away. 

"Charley, you ready to go?" Billy asked. 

"Um, can I just stay here for a while?" Charley asked. 

"By yourself?" Billy asked. 

"Yeah," Charley said, not taking his eyes off his mother's coffin for one second. 

Billy nodded with a slight shrug before patting Charley on the shoulder. 

"Sure." Billy said before turning and walking away. 

As Charley heard the last of the cars of family and friends drive off and away - including Billy, Charley closed his eyes and took in the silence he heard all around him. He hoped in that moment that he would be able to feel his mother's presence in some way, but he couldn't, he didn't. For the first time in his life, despite having a girlfriend and having friends like Ed and even now, Jerry and Billy, for the first time in his life, Charley truly felt alone. As he walked closer to her coffin and sat down on the ground in front of him, tears clouded his eyes once more, tears of continued grief, tears of sadness over the anger he felt that he had lost his mother at the young age of only seventeen years old. 

As Charley continued sitting there, he had become unaware that daylight had left the entire cemetery area and had been replaced with night, and as Charley continued sitting there, he was unaware that Jerry was walking up behind him. The sound of a crumpling leaf was what made Charley turn and look behind him to see Jerry standing a few feet away.

"Billy told you to come here?" Charley asked. 

"He told me you wanted to stay after the funeral but coming here was my decision." Jerry replied. "How was it?" 

"It was somber," Charley replied as Jerry sat down on the ground next to him. "I think she would've liked it." 

"How are you holding up?" Jerry asked.

Charley frowned briefly while continuing to stare at the coffin. 

"I feel - like this is all some kind of bad dream that I keep wanting to wake up from but I can't." Charley said after a few seconds of silence. 

"I know." Jerry replied. 

Charley glanced at him with instant attitude.

"You know?" Charley asked with coldness. "How? How could you possibly know what I'm feeling?"

"Because my parents were murdered when I was eleven years old." Jerry replied. "It was the worst day of my life and my sister Regine's. Regine and I were never the same after they died." 

Charley sighed with a brief close of his eyes. 

"I just don't understand why." Charley said. "Why my mother, why her, why - now? Why when -" 

Charley stopped as he frown and tried his best to fight back the emotion he felt welling up within him. 

"Why when she was the only family I really had." Charley said with a now tearful voice. "I just don't know how I'm going to cope with the fact that she's gone now. I just - don't." 

As Charley broke into sobs, Jerry pulled him into a consoling hug. It was a hug that Charley needed at that moment, a gesture that symbolically encouraged Charley to finally release all of the emotional pain and grief that he had been holding deep inside him, for days.

* * *

  
**~ End Of Chapter V ~**

**Up Next: VI**

 

 


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